Florida is once again advertising for a top financial regulator, who will require approval from Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state Cabinet. Applicants for the position of commissioner of the Office of Financial Regulation have until Feb. 14 to apply for the position, which carries a minimum $120,000-a-year salary. The office tweeted the opening and a link to the online application process Wednesday.
“Would you like to be @FlFinancialReg's commissioner? The application is open thru 2/14,” the tweet said. The office, which oversees state-chartered financial institutions, securities firms, finance companies, money-services businesses and debt collectors, has an operating budget of about $41 million a year and nearly 360 employees.
The commissioner’s job opened last year when former Commissioner Drew Breakspear resigned under pressure from state Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. Patronis pointed to a “lack of cooperation, responsiveness, and communication” from Breakspear’s office. Breakspear disputed the claims. The state advertised the job and received applications, but then-Gov. Rick Scott and Cabinet members ended up staying with interim Commissioner Pam Epting, who had been elevated from deputy commissioner.
